Radiation Alert In Australia: Hunt On For Radioactive Capsule That Likely Fell Off Moving Truck

The missing tiny radioactive capsule is part of a gauge used to measure iron ore density. Australia's nuclear safety agency has joined the search on Great Northern Highway, the longest one Down Under.

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) has joined a week-long hunt for a missing radioactive capsule in the west of the country. The agency has announced it is working with the Western Australian government to locate the capsule, news agency Reuters reported. The radioactive capsule, part of a gauge used to measure iron ore density, is believed to have fallen from a truck during transportation, sparking a rediation alert. The gauge was entrusted to a specialist contractor by Rio Tinto Ltd and the company issued an apology on Monday for the loss, which could have occurred over the past two weeks, the report said.

The search for the missing radioactive capsule continues as ARPANSA and the Western Australian government work together to locate and secure it.

A statement issued by ARPANSA read: "ARPANSA has sent a deployment team with specialised car-mounted and portable detection equipment to support the search of the transport route between the Pilbara region and Perth." 

It said they will be operational from January 31.

Alert Issued For Motorists Along Australia's Longest Highway

The authorities are carrying out the search along a 1,400-km route from north of Newman to a storage facility in the northeast suburbs of Perth. The search is led by the state's Department of Fire and Emergency Services and radiation experts, with support from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). ARPANSA said ANSTO has sent teams of specialists and detection equipment to assist in the search. 

"ARPANSA is committed to supporting efforts to locate the missing source and protect the community from the harmful effects of radiation," the statement read.

Fresh alert has been issued for motorists in Western Australia. 

State emergency officials have advised motorists to be cautious while driving near the search party on the Great Northern Highway, which is Australia's longest. They have been asked to take care when approaching, “and use caution when overtaking”, since DFES and radiation specialists are conducting a slow-speed search in both north and south directions, the Reuters report said.

According to the report, the gauge was picked up from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri mine site on January 12. It was found broken, with one of its four mounting bolts missing and screws gone, when it was unpacked for inspection on January 25.

It is suspected that the screws and the bolt came loose due to vibrations from the truck, as a result the radioactive capsule from the gauge fell out of the package and then out of a gap in the truck, the report said.